Tool boxes are widely used by tradesmen such as carpenters, mechanics and the like for the purpose of holding and carrying tools of their trade. In the carpenter's trade, this can be handsaws, chisels, glue bottles, screws, nails, staplers and other tools of the carpenter trade.
When a tool box is full of such tools, which are mostly metal, the tool box is heavy and the tradesman can incur back fatigue or injury by lifting and carrying such heavy tool boxes. One difficulty with conventional tool boxes is that because the body of the tradesman has width, the tool box must be carried on one side of the tradesman. This means that the vertical center of gravity of the tool box with its tool contents is positioned laterally of the vertical center of gravity of the tradesman. This exerts a significant lateral bending moment on the spine of the tradesman. This can ultimately lead to back fatigue or injury.
Another problem with conventional tool box designs is that they have only one handle. Usually, the handle is disposed at a low elevation and the trades-man must bend down a good distance in order to grasp the handle of the tool box and lift it. Lifting the tool box to a standing position can exert an uneven force on the back of the tradesman which in turn can lead to back fatigue or injury.
The following patents are relevant to the subject matter of this invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,352, issued Nov. 1, 1955, Dehnel, discloses a tool box for a truck body of the type having a vertical side panel with an outwardly flared top flange, the box comprising means forming top, end, front and bottom walls integrated to form an open backed enclosure, the top wall being narrower than said end walls and provided with a downwardly inclined flange along its rear edge adapted to engage the marginal portion of the top flange and to be secured thereto, the end walls extending rearwardly beyond the top wall to such extent as to contact the side panel when the downwardly inclined flange is positioned in engagement with the top flange, the front wall being provided with an access opening to the enclosure bounded by said walls and the parts of said truck body engaged thereby, and a door closing said opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,241, issued Apr. 14, 1998, McEntee, discloses a substantially rectangular multi-purpose box comprising a outwardly extending, convexly-curved front and back walls, and side walls, the front, back and side walls surrounding a main compartment, a front tray which extends outwards from the upper portion of the front wall, and a contoured lid to cover the multipurpose craft box. The main compartment contains a plurality of opposing grooves for receiving a partition so that the main compartment may be subdivided into smaller compartments. A shoulder runs along the inside surfaces of the front and back wails forming a resting surface for supporting a container. The front tray is divided into a plurality of compartments. Opposing slots located in the inner wails of the compartments for receiving dividers allows a user to further subdivide each front tray compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,205, issued Mar. 21, 2000, Flink, discloses a stackable shopping basket in which the proximal side wall is inwardly curved in a contour adapted to an adult human user's body. The opposite or distal side wall may also be curved with a contour that is symmetrical with the proximate side wall. The side walls and end walls have an outwardly-turned peripheral top edge forming a lip, the lip being extended downward along at least a portion of the proximal side wall to form a cushion portion. Stand-off fins are provided along the periphery of the basket between the lip and the end walls and side walls other than the cushion portion. A centrally located handle projects from the bottom of the basket and defines a channel through the bottom wall of the basket for nesting identical baskets in a stack. The grip of the handle is oriented along the longitudinal axis of the basket. The grip may have a detachable cover to display advertising.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,316, Apr. 25, 2000, Lo, discloses a tool box includes a housing having one or more orifices for receiving tool members. One or more casings are attached to the housing and each has one or more punctures for receiving the tool members. A cap has one end pivotally coupled to the housing and has the other end engaged with the housing and the casings to secure the housing and the casings together. The housing includes a curved bar and the casing includes a curved slot for receiving the bar and for securing the casing to the housing. The cap includes a latch engaged with the housing and the casings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,138 B2, Mar. 18, 2003, Chwen-Ru, discloses a foldable tool kit comprises two abutted elongate first compartments, two abutted second compartments on either side of the first compartment, each second compartment being smaller than the first compartment, and a plurality of hinges each for coupling each of the second compartments to the first compartment or two of the second compartments on the same side. The stored tools are protected from being lost due to the provisions of engaged positioning pegs and holes on the second compartments as well as prevented from mixing due to the provision of covers on the second compartments while carrying.
U.S. patent application Publication No. US2002/0170843 A1, Nov. 21, 2002, Dieter et al., discloses a receptacle for storing and holding tools such as utensils and knives is selectively between a flat position in which tools held within slots in the receptacle are held in place and cannot be removed, and an open, curved position in which the receptacle forms a stable stand. In the open position the handles of the tools are exposed and may be readily removed for use and reinserted into holding slots when not in use.
The following patents are also of potential interest:
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